Who is Reinhold Messner?
A) A famous mountaineer from the 1970s and '80s.
B) The patron saint of underage drinking.
C) The subject of a new "unauthorized biography" that is one of the best rock albums to come out this year.
Thanks to Ben Folds Five, Messner is now all of the above. The band's recently released album, "The Unauthorized Biography of Reinhold Messner," is the innovative, interesting and successful attempt of a piano-based band to make a place for itself in a guitar-based business.
Although it had formed a loyal fan base with its three previous albums and received popular recognition for the uncharacteristic single "Brick," it is "Reinhold Messner" that should bring Ben Folds Five the critical and popular support it deserves.
Unsurprisingly, that was exactly what the band was trying to do with this album. Ben Folds, the namesake and piano player of this Charlotte- based trio (yes, trio) admits to making a lot of changes this time around.
With "Messner," the boys shelled out big money for quality time in a quality studio. They also enlisted many guest musicians and experimented with new instruments. As a result of all these changes and innovations, both the lyrics and the music of "Reinhold Messner" seem somewhat disconnected and confused, but no less effective than on the band's previous albums.
The opening track, "Narcolepsy," sets the tone and makes it clear that this album is very different from the trio's previous works. By adding three violins and a cello to the mix, the music seems almost orchestral. The lyrics, rather than taking a comical and personal look at everyday problems as the group did in its three earlier albums, reflect the mentality of a band worn down by touring but still in love with making music.
Most of the album deals with the typical issues faced by bands just about to make it big. The songs "Don't Change Your Plans," "Your Redneck Past," "Regrets" and "Jane" all somehow address the conflict between becoming successful while still remaining true to your roots. "Army," the first single released from the album and a really catchy tune, looks at the band's past and how it got to where it is today.
"Your Most Valuable Possession" is one of the most interesting tracks on the album. A very amusing and discombobulated message that Ben Folds' father actually left on his machine, this piece reminds you to take care of your most valuable possession: your mind.
But do not get the idea that these three are an ultra-cerebral band trying to examine their places in life or discover the meaning behind it all. They're just three guys writing about what they know and playing the music they want to be playing. And although the album isn't quite as light as their previous album, "Whatever & Ever Amen," these boys certainly haven't lost their sense of humor.
This is probably most evident in the motivation behind the title of their latest effort. "The Unauthorized Biography of Reinhold Messner" has nothing to do with the man who became famous for climbing Mt. Everest without oxygen 20 years ago.
As it explains on the sleeve of the album, Ben Folds Five was "unaware of the existence of a living, breathing and famous Reinhold Messner." The name was a part of a story from (bass player) Darren (Jessee's) school days when a friend suggested using "Reinhold Messner" on fake I.D.s. Allegedly there were many 27 year-old Reinholds who looked suspiciously adolescent, inhabiting the bars of Charlotte in the late '80s.
As Jessee explains, he and his friends viewed Messner as "the patron saint of underage drinking."
It is this sense of humor combined with its commitment to making quality music that makes Ben Folds Five such an interesting and creative band. With today's record industry primarily catering to the desires of 13-year-old girls with the collective attention span of a carrot, many popular bands are reduced to formulaic packaging and concentrate more on image rather than music.
Ben Folds Five does no such thing. "The Unauthorized Biography of Reinhold Messner" clearly exhibits that the band is open to change and experimentation, but unwilling to compromise its musical integrity.
